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Sunday marked the first time that the Daytona 500 has been postponed overnight in its 54-year history. Sunday afternoon's daylong rain and the forecast of more bad weather on Sunday night forced NASCAR officials to move the race to noon on Monday at Daytona International Speedway.

Five Daytona 500s have finished short of 500 miles. Fred Lorenzen won the 1965 race that went 129 laps for 322.5 miles. Richard Petty won in 1966, when the race went 198 laps for 495 miles. Michael Waltrip won his second “500” in 2003, a race that went only 109 laps for 272.5 miles. And Matt Kenseth won in 2009, when the race went 152 laps for 380 miles.

Teams make Forbes 'rich' list

With three of its star drivers among the 10 best-paid NASCAR drivers, it's understandable that Hendrick Motorsports would be stock-car racing's most valuable franchise. According to Forbes magazine, the multicar Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series organization is worth $350 million, almost twice as much as the $185 million of Roush Fenway Racing.

Kurt Busch's No. 51 Chevrolet team changed its race engine after Saturday's final Sprint Cup Series practice session and thus will start Monday's Daytona 500 from the rear of the 43-car grid. Busch apparently hit a seagull during practice, putting a hole in his car's radiator. By the time he slowed and pulled off, the engine had overheated. Phoenix Racing team owner James Finch did not want to take a chance, so he went to a new engine.

Busch is among five drivers who have to start the rescheduled race from the rear. Danica Patrick, Juan Pablo Montoya, Paul Menard and David Gilliland will use backup cars after crashing their primary cars in Thursday's first 150-mile qualifying race. Busch was the only starter with a post-Happy Hour Saturday-practice engine change.

Wood breaks his streak

Team co-owner Len Wood will miss his first Daytona 500 since 1973, when A. J. Foyt won in Wood's family-owned team's No. 21 Mercury. Wood, who'd been to 39 consecutive 500s, was at Daytona International Speedway early in the week but went home after Thursday's 150-mile race for treatment of severe back pain. He is the son of NASCAR Hall of Fame owner/driver Glen Wood and the brother of team co-owner Eddie Wood, who is at his 40th consecutive 500 this year.

Their father has been to 66 consecutive Speedweeks, dating to before Daytona even opened. He raced successfully on the old 4.2-mile highway/beach course and in the first Daytona 500 at the speedway. His brother, Leonard, has been to every 500 since 1960, the year he got out of the Army.

Coming up next weekend

The Nationwide and Sprint Cup cars will race next weekend at Phoenix International Raceway-- the Nationwide teams on Saturday, the Cup teams on Sunday. The Camping World Truck Series does not race again until March 31, at Martinsville Speedway.